The Editor-in-chief of The New Crusading Guide newspaper, Mr Malik Kweku Baako, has uncharacteristically refrained from commenting on controversial remarks made by former president Rawlings this week.
He had earlier in the week described Mr Rawlings as a “walking contradiction”, “hypocrisy personified” and a “licensed irritant”, in reaction to the former president’s lashing out at President Mills, his administration and some of his appointees.
But when the issue was tabled for discussion on Joy FM’s news analysis programme, Newsfile, Mr Baako, an avid critic of Mr Rawlings refused to do an extensive interrogation of the former president’s comments unlike his co-panelists.
He instead, read excerpts of a speech read by then president Rawlings during Ghana’s 40th Independence Anniversary.
He read: “Every nation has its share of struggles of one kind or another and our beautiful brave land is no exception. We each have a part to play and that part does not include fault finding and blind criticism because civic responsibility means doing something and not complaining that something aught to be done.
“The time has come to redefine patriotism because except when we combine all of our efforts we will not reach far. It is not the duty of one person but every man, every woman and every child.
"No Blame Game:
“We are all in this together, we must not be like the family who live on the complaining street in the city of never been satisfied. They growl at everything and whatever comes their way, they find amiss. They are known by the name of grumble. To them, the weather is always too hot or too cold and even if everything went right they will still complain that there was nothing to grumble about.
“If anyone stays amongst them, he learns their ways and is soon adopted into the grumble family. It will be wise as a nation to keep our feet from wandering into a complaining street where the grumble family lives, let us learn to walk with a smile and a song. No matter if things sometimes go wrong for things sometimes do go wrong. But we must sing a victory song of a people with a history, a people who have come far, and still have far to go.
“We must look ahead and look on the bright side of life, we cannot afford to dwell on things done which should not have been done or things left undone which should have been done. Let us give the best we have and look for the best in others so that ten years from now when we celebrate our 50th anniversary we will say that we have achieved success and gained the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children,” Mr. Rawlings’ speech ended.
And then Mr Baako continued, “This is ex Flt lieutenant JJ Rawlings or if you like in a more dignified manner president JJ Rawlings, that’s what he told Ghanaians, 1997, 40th anniversary of Ghana’s independence. I (think) I would stop here. I do not want to distort the environment, everybody knows my view, I have all the specifics here to discuss. This Rawlings nuisance perhaps can be contained, that is why I said he is a licensed irritant. For once I’ve decided that I won’t go too far,” he added.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
| Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. |
